Rebels targeted by police taskforce

Police have arrested more than 300 members and associates of the Rebels since February.

Alan Porritt: AAP

Police have arrested more than 300 members and associates of a notorious Australian motorcycle club, as a result of a crackdown by a national taskforce.

Since the Attero taskforce was set up in February, police have laid more than 500 charges against people involved with the Rebels Motorcycle Club, for crimes including drug dealing, money laundering, extortion and violence.

They have also seized more than 40 guns, and drugs including amphetamines, cannabis and steroids.

The Australian Crime Commission's Paul Jevkovic says organised crime is a "cancer in our society."

"We shouldn't have this expectation that OMCG's (outlaw motorcycle gangs) are long-bearded people riding motorbikes," he said.

"They've evolved considerably from that image and we need to, as we have, continue to evolve our strategies to combat that."

The acting Deputy Commissioner of New South Wales Police David Hudson says the Rebels have a criminal footprint in every state.

"This is about maintaining the rage," he said.

"If they want to dress up in their colours, and openly [flout] the laws of this country, then we will be there to target them."

Mr Jevtovic says the Rebels have infiltrated legitimate businesses like security companies to make money from crime.

"What we're trying to do is make it even harder for them to continue to exist and to de-myth this issue that this is just a bunch of people like a local football club getting together and having fun.

"These people have penetrated legitimate industries. They use those industries to perpetrate their crimes, to generate their profits, that's what they're all about."

Mr Jevtovic says the taskforce wants to break the business model of organised crime.

"This isn't about only doing those traditional things, like pulling them over for arrests on various crimes," he said.

"This is about hardening the environment so they can't continue to generate profits."

Mr Hudson says the Rebels' public image is a cover for crime.

"The public image of the teddy bear runs and the runs to assist charities are very much a public persona and a marketing campaign by the outlaw motorcycle gangs to cover their illicit activities," he said.

Mr Hudson says organised criminals from the Middle East have taken over outlaw motorcycle gangs in New South Wales, because they offer protection.

Police also concerned about the use of guns to settle disagreements.

"People can't go to functions without some sort of OMCG shooting occurring and things like that," Mr Jevtovic said.

There are an estimated 1,500 members of the Rebels motorcycle club nationwide, but it also has chapters in New Zealand, Thailand, Spain and Malta.

Most of the people who have been arrested are patched members, but some are prospects.

It is the first time the 14 law enforcement agencies have come together for such a task.